The Cecil Whig., 1887-12-03
TIE CONVIOT'S CHRISTMAS EVE.
lc term was done; my penalty was past


when lett that stone punishment OF sin.
Twas most as hard when first went in.
1t seemed at once though the switt-yoiccd air
Told sIaEderouS tales about me everywhere:
As ii the ground itself was shrinkiu. back
For fear twould get the Gains marx of my
track.
Women would edge away, with shrewd she
guesscs,
As il my very glance would >p il their dresses:
Men looked me over with close. r,,Ieless 1azc.
And Understood my dowur'rst, Jail bred ways;
My hands We're 50 grim hardened and den ed.
l wouldn't have had the cheek to pet a child:
If had spokcu to Il dog that day,
Ho would have tipped his n.se and walked away
And SO wandered in llil oi doubt.
Whence neither heaven nor earth would let me out
The world itself seemed to every bit
As hard a pI iSon as the one III quit.
II you are made of anything but dirt,
II you've a soul thHt other souls can hurt,
Turn 10 the right henceiOrth, whoever passes:
Its death to drop among the lawleSs classes.
Men lose, who lose the lrel dship oi the law
blessing from each breath OF they draw:
They know the advantage OF a good square face
When theirs has been dislgure,! 10y disgrace.
SO trudged around appropriately slow
For one with no particular place TO 20.
The houses Scowlcd and stared as if to say
You lal-bird we are honest: walk away!
The factory seemed to scream when came near
Stand back. unSenIenced men are wvrh;ug here
And virtue had til appearance all the time
OF trying hard 10 push me back to crime.
Str Str a,
day,
To watch the different people on the way,
All carrying bundles, of all SORTS OF sizes.
As carefully us gold and silver prizes.
Well dressed or poor, could not understand
Why each one hu2geA bundle in his hand.
l asked old policeman what it meant.
He looked Inc over with eyes Snrewily bent,
While mutteing in voice that fairly lroz.,
Its cause tomorrow Christians, SUPPOSE
And then the Tact came crashing me,
How horribly alone Il man can be,
| don't pretend what tortureS yet may wait
For souls that have not run their reckonings
straight;
1t isn't Tor mortal ignorance to say
What kind OF night may follow any day;
There may he pain for sin some time found out
That sin on earth knows nothing yet about;
But don't think there's anr harbor known
Worse for a wrecked soul than to be alone.
Alone.-there may be never has occurred
word whose Z loom is sloCmIer thtn that worn
lou who can brighten up your Christmas joys
With all affections small but mighty toys.
Who fancy that your giits OF love lie rash,
And presents are not wOr h their price i'll cash,
Thank God, with love and thrift no more ut war
That you've some one to spend your money tor.
a dollar plays veIy ding part,
Till mag netized hy some one. gratetu heart.
So evening saw me struggling up and down
Within the gayly lighted, desolate town,
hungry, sad heart hermit al! the while,
My rough iace oegging for friendly smile.
Folks talked with lo!ks IN new-made warmth aud
glce,
But no one had a word or look for me-
Love flowed like water. but it could not make
I he world forgive me Tor my mistake.
An open church some look OF welcome wore;
crept in soft, and sat down near the door.
d never seen 'mongst my unhappy race
So many happy children i'll place:
l never knew how much hymn could bring
From Heaven, until heard tno>s children sing
never saw such swset-brcathed gales Of giee
As swept around that fruitful Christians oe.
You have trIpI}ed through childhood's merry days
With passionate love protecting all your ways
Who did not see Il ChristIas-tme 20 by
without some present Tor your sparkling eye,
Thank God, whose goodness gave such 10Y its
birth,
In stone-paved ground my thorny field was set:
l never had a Christmas present yet.
And SO | sat and saw them. and confess
Felt all III unhappicr ior their happiness;
And when a gets into such state,
He's very pruud-or very deSolate.
Just then cry of Fire :, amongst US came:
the pretty christmas tree was all alame;
and one sweet child there in our startled gaze
Was screaming. with her white clothes all ablaza
The crowd seemed crazy-hke. both old AID young
Ard yer! swift OF speech, though slow OF tongue
But one knew what to do, and not to say,
And he Il convict, just let loose tnat day.
l fought like one who deals in deadly strife
l wrapped my life around that cbild's sweet life
| choked the flames that choked her, with rich
cloaks,
Stol'n from some good but very frightened folks
l gave the dear girl to her parents sight,
Unframed by anything excepting fright;
tore the blazing branches from the tree;
And al! was sale, and no one hurt but me.
That night, OF which | asked Tor seep in vain
That night, that tossed me round On plon- OF pain
That stabbed me with fierce tortures through anc
through,
Was still the happieSt that over knew.
/ felt that at last had earned a place
Among my race, by suffering Tor my race;
felt the glorious actS wouldn't let me miss
A mothers .hanks-perhaps chIld's sweet kiss
Tat mans warm gratitude would tiud plan
To lit me up, and help ine be a
Next day they brought letter to my bed.
| opened it with tingl.ng nerves and read:
fou have upon my kindness certain claims
For rescuing my young child irom the flames;
Such deeds deserve hand unstained by crime;
trust you will reform while yet there's : me.
The hlackeSt sinner may mud mercy still.
Enclosed please find IA thousand dollar bill
Our paths OF course on different roads must lie
Don't follow me tor any more. Good-by.
| SrOrched the dirty rag till II was black:
Enclosed it in a rag and sent it back.
That very night cracked a traiesman's door,
Stole with my b!stercd hands ten thousand more
Which next day took special pains to send
To my good, distant, wealthy, high-toned friend
And wrote upon it in steady hand,
In words l hoped he wouldn't misunderstood
Money is cheap as | have shown you here,
But gratitude and sympathy are dear.
These rags are StUlen-haye bccn-nay often he
l trust the one wasn't that you sent to Ine
Hoping your pride and you are reconciled-
From the black. sinful reScuer of your child"
| crcpt to cour,-a crushed, triumphant worm
Confessed the theft, and took another term.
NY lite closed and began and l am back
Among the rogues that walk the broad gauge
track.
| toll mid every sort of sin that's known;
| walk rough raa,is-but do not walk ALONE.
-HW Ga. Teton IN Haiper'S MGgG-tne.
Economy in Bridal Presents.
From the Philadelphia Buiietin.
al. -, .l,,,r, ~